Tailored treatment 'good for cancer'

New research indicates that a tailored approach to treating lung cancer could be beneficial for individuals with different histologies.

According to the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (Astro), there exist different types of tissue which may be present in non-small cell lung cancers.

By examining cells under a microscope - known as histology by medical professionals - they may be able to discover whether cancerous tissue is "squamous", meaning scaly, or not.

Individuals with a history of cancer in their family could consider the findings to be of importance when seeking out private health insurance.

Astro reports that non-squamous cells are particularly associated with an improved response rate to chemotherapy involving the drug pemetrexed.

The findings are drawn from two previous studies, which both supported the hypothesis that pemetrexed performance is hindered by the presence of squamous cells.

Cancer sufferers considering private health insurance might be intrigued by other research from Astro into the long-term after-effects of the disease.

Researchers from the society discovered that individuals who recover from cancer are significantly more likely to experience psychological distress later in life.

However, the over-65s are more resistant to developing such mental disorders than their younger counterparts. 

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